How Cannabis Interacts With Other Drugs

Cannabis interacts with the compounds in the drugs we take with different outcomes, some of which could even be dangerous to your health. We take a general look at what can happen.

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15 May 2017

It does not matter if we are discussing legal and prescribed drugs or the ones used recreationally, all medicines contain compounds that interact with other compounds. Let’s take caffeine, which most of us use on a daily basis. Caffeine has 82 known drug interactions. While few are serious, it gives you an idea of how much interaction there is between different chemicals.

The way chemicals interact with each other can be divided into two categories; additive and synergistic effects. Additive, as the name suggests, causes two or more chemical effects to add up. There is, however, a more intricate way for these chemicals to interact, and it is called a synergistic effect. This means that the two chemicals synergies and the outcome will be greater that the sum of its parts. This means that when the two synergistic chemicals are combined, they will produce a stronger effect than by themselves or if they were simply added to each other. For cannabis though, there is another complication: the specific terpene and cannabinoid profile varies heavily depending on different strains. A White Widow will interact differently than an Amnesia Haze will because they have different genetic backgrounds and contain different chemical compounds.

The interaction between cannabis and other drugs will always be uncertain. As it is not an isolated compound but an organism with many different characteristics, it hard to predict what the outcome of the interaction may be. Cannabis might enhance the effects or potency of the drug it is combined with, making it more effects stronger. As such, it is always important to make sure to have medical assistance or at least consult your doctor about the drugs you want to combine.

Please note, the below should only give you a general idea of interact. Interactions can be very complex, and we do not condone the combination of cannabis with any other drug.

RECREATIONAL DRUGS

ALCHOHOL

Even though alcohol is quite common and broadly used, it is still one of the more dangerous drugs to combine with any substance at all. Some of the combinations, such as alcohol and sleep medication, can even turn out to be fatal. Combining alcohol and cannabis is very popular, but it can be too much for some people. It causes a kind of double buzz, as well as potential dizziness and nausea. There have been a number of studies on the combination but there is yet to be a clear conclusion.

One study points out that alcohol will increase the THC levels in your blood, which would mean that you get higher when drinking. Another study would suggest that people that use cannabis do not drink as much as people who do not use cannabis.

The combination gets dangerous when applied to driving or feeling sick. Your motor skills will be even more impaired, and if you do happen to drink to the point of vomiting, the cannabis will inhibit it. This increases the hangover the next day or even puts you at risk of alcohol poisoning. Furthermore, alcohol can have suppressive effects on the central nervous system, which also controls your vital functions such as breath and heart rate. The combination of alcohol and cannabis can amplify this suppressive effect to the point that it could harm or potentially even kill you. Moderation seems to be the major key when trying to combine alcohol and cannabis.

AMPHETAMINES

The family of amphetamines is big but one of the most well known is speed. The combination of cannabis is reported to take the edge off of the buzz that the speed gives you.

Another very well known and often used amphetamines is Adderall, taken by ravers to substitute ecstasy or MDMA, and scholars to make them study longer and more intensely. When combined with cannabis, users have reported feeling very social and engaging in conversations at the onset but quickly becoming confused and disoriented. The high shouldn’t last too long, about three to five hours, and the hangover the next day is negligible to mild.

COCAINE

This might be a more complicated combination, as cocaine is an upper and cannabis tends to be a downer. Not to mention, cocaine is a dangerous drug, so any interaction could be dangerous.

CODEINE

Codeine and cannabis seem made for each other. When combined, users report very relaxing, calming, soothing and even euphoric effects. The only drawback might be that it packs a serious hangover, leaving you feeling very fuzzy headed.

DMT

DMT is a hallucinogenic that is either smoked or ingested with MAOI’s to form ayahuasca. It has gained popularity recently and the combination of DMT and THC seems to have a countering effects. Users report less intense trips when having smoked cannabis.

KETAMINE

Certain effects of ketamine are more pronounced when combined with cannabis, such as closed eye visuals, mind tunnelling, confusion, dizziness and drowsiness but it also makes it more difficult to concentrate.

LSD

Lysergic acid diethylamide, acid or LSD is an intense psychedelic. When it is used in combination with cannabis the THC will make the experience less intense when kicking in, but will intensify the height of your trip. It also helps with calming down when the effects are starting to wear off.

MUSHROOMS

Cannabis and mushrooms have a synergetic effect when combined. The THC can increase the random weirdness of the visuals in your trip and can also help you calming down when the consequences of the mushrooms are starting to fade away.

SALVIA DIVINORUM

While cannabis has a calming and sedating effect, salvia has a very psychedelic effect. When combined, the two seem to have an empowering effect on each other. Users have reported more intense trips but also longer and more intense hangovers, passing out and more negative or scary trips - so this might be one combination to use with caution or at least supervision.

MEDICINAL OR PRESCRIBED DRUGS

BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS

The exact interaction between THC and the blood sugar levels has yet to be researched fully. It might turn out that cannabis could help lower glucose levels, as some studies suggest that cannabis users have fewer chances of getting diabetes or becoming obese. Patients that are being treated with metformin should not combine it with cannabis as it has turned out that THC decreases the effectiveness of the drug.

BLOOD PRESSURE

When cannabis is used it actives not only the bodies CB1 receptors, but also its CB2 receptors as well. This simultaneous activation can trigger reduced blood flow to coronary arteries and elevated cardiac oxygen consumption. In short, the combination of cannabis and blood pressure medication compounds the effects of the medicine.

BLOOD THINNING

Even though cannabis might give you the munchies, it actually slows down your metabolism, and that may increase the effect of blood thinning medicines such as warfarin or heparin.

OPIOIDS

The combination of opioids and cannabis is additive, meaning that they do not generate extra side effects but do increase the relieving of pain. The levels of opioids will have to be adjusted down to compensate for the added cannabis. The lowering of opioid levels in the treatment of patients might be very positive, as there is more and more opioid overuse being reported.

SEDATIVES

Cannabis can be quite diverse in its effects when combined with sedatives. While not as dangerous as mixing sedatives and alcohol, the effects are very uncertain. It is an additive combination, meaning that no new side effects should be generated, but the effects of the sedatives and the cannabis will add up. An increase in drowsiness and sedation has been reported also. This is a combination to have extreme caution with, and even avoided completely.

As you can see, there are quite a few ways cannabis interacts with other drugs. It can be fairly complex, and the above only just scratches the surface. We do not condone the use of hard drugs, nor the combination of cannabis with other substances. Education is key, so always do your research.